Temple grad Solomon Jones goes from homelessness to critical acclaim

Solomon Jones is featured in a new ad campaign from Temple University, his alma mater. In it, his life story of overcoming obstacles to succeed is told with dignity and grace. Watch the video now:

Solomon Jones, KLN ’97, can trace his writing career back to a grade school bet.

He was in seventh grade, in the 1980s, when a classmate challenged him to write a rap. Jones rose to the occasion and penned lyrics that started him on his path as a professional writer.

Though his stint as a rapper didn’t pan out, he continued to put pen to paper to express his thoughts. He honed his natural ability at Temple and has since written eight novels. He’s also a weekly columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News.

Jones expanded his media presence in 2014, when he began hosting Wake Up With WURD, a weekday morning program that airs on the only African American-owned and -operated talk radio station in Pennsylvania. He uses the platform to explore the topics he writes about in his column while providing listeners with real-time news commentary and context.